[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7243-H7245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DATA FRAMEWORK ACT OF 2017
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2454) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a
data framework to provide access for appropriate personnel to law
enforcement and other information of the Department, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2454
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Homeland
Security Data Framework Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DATA FRAMEWORK.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
develop a data framework to integrate existing Department of
Homeland Security datasets and systems, as appropriate, for
access by authorized personnel in a manner consistent with
relevant legal authorities and privacy, civil rights, and
civil liberties policies and protections. In developing such
framework, the Secretary shall ensure, in accordance with all
applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, the
following information is included:
(1) All information acquired, held, or obtained by an
office or component of the Department that falls within the
scope of the information sharing environment, including
homeland security information, terrorism information, weapons
of mass destruction information, and national intelligence.
(2) Any information or intelligence relevant to priority
mission needs and capability requirements of the homeland
security enterprise, as determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(b) Data Framework Access.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
ensure that the data framework required under this section is
accessible to employees of the Department of Homeland
Security who the Secretary determines--
(A) have an appropriate security clearance;
(B) are assigned to perform a function that requires access
to information in such framework; and
(C) are trained in applicable standards for safeguarding
and using such information.
(2) Guidance.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
(A) issue guidance for Department of Homeland Security
employees authorized to access and contribute to the data
framework pursuant to paragraph (1); and
(B) ensure that such guidance enforces a duty to share
between offices and components of the Department when
accessing or contributing to such framework for mission
needs.
(3) Efficiency.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
promulgate data standards and instruct components of the
Department of Homeland Security to make available information
through the data framework under this section in a machine-
readable format, to the greatest extent practicable.
(c) Exclusion of Information.--The Secretary of Homeland
Security may exclude from the data framework information that
the Secretary determines access to or the confirmation of the
existence of could--
(1) jeopardize the protection of sources, methods, or
activities;
(2) compromise a criminal or national security
investigation;
(3) be inconsistent with the other Federal laws or
regulations; or
(4) be duplicative or not serve an operational purpose if
included in such framework.
(d) Safeguards.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
incorporate into the data framework systems capabilities for
auditing and ensuring the security of information included in
such framework. Such capabilities shall include the
following:
(1) Mechanisms for identifying insider threats.
(2) Mechanisms for identifying security risks.
(3) Safeguards for privacy, civil rights, and civil
liberties.
(e) Deadline for Implementation.--Not later than two years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall ensure the data framework required
under this section has the ability to include appropriate
information in existence within the Department of Homeland
Security to meet its critical mission operations.
(f) Notice to Congress.--
(1) Operational notification.--Not later than 60 days after
the date on which the data framework required under this
section is fully operational, the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall provide notice to the appropriate
congressional committees of such.
(2) Regular status.--The Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees regular updates on the
status of the data framework required under this section,
including, when applicable, the use of such data framework to
support classified operations.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' has the meaning
given the term ``appropriate congressional committee'' in
section 2(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
101(2)).
(2) National intelligence.--The term ``national
intelligence'' has the meaning given such term in section
3(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
3003(5)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
{time} 1300
General Leave
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Sixteen years after the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaida terrorists on our
homeland,
[[Page H7244]]
most Americans would be dismayed that information-sharing stovepipes
still exist.
While information sharing since that fateful day has improved
dramatically, we still have work to do at the Department of Homeland
Security. When the DHS was created, 22 component agencies were brought
together with different missions, databases, and legal authorities.
The DHS personnel have to deal with a costly, cumbersome process to
search and vet information against a large number of databases, using
different logins, passwords, and legal restrictions.
The DHS data framework was designed to bring together these vital DHS
datasets, including travel and cargo information, investigative data,
and critical infrastructure data, among others.
The other important element of the framework is the replication of
the platform on a classified network to allow classified analysis and
vetting of law enforcement data against intelligence information.
Given the importance of the Data Framework Initiative, the need to
weigh security versus civil liberties, as well as the Federal
Government's history of delays and cost overruns on IT projects, it is
critical that this program receive congressional oversight.
This bill provides the first authorization for the data framework,
mandates privacy and security safeguards, as well as training for
Department personnel with access to the system.
In addition to the personnel training and privacy safeguards, this
bill also requires the Secretary to ensure information in the framework
is both protected and audible.
I was pleased that the Committee on Homeland Security included this
bill in the DHS authorization bill, which passed the floor in July, and
I urge my colleagues to again support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2454, the Department of
Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2017.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act
directs the DHS to consolidate existing intelligence databases and
systems at the Department in order to establish a data framework.
Specifically, H.R. 2454 requires the DHS to ensure that the data
framework is accessible to DHS employees who the Secretary determines
have an appropriate security clearance, have responsibilities that
require access to framework information, and are trained in applicable
standards for safeguarding and using such information.
By strengthening the DHS data framework, authorized personnel from
each of the components and offices at the Department will have easier
access to the data that they need in a timely manner.
Additionally, the DHS Security Data Framework Act of 2017 allows the
DHS Secretary to incorporate into the data framework systems
capabilities for auditing and ensuring the security of information
within the framework. Such capabilities include mechanisms for
identifying insider threats and security risks, and safeguards for
privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
The anniversary of 9/11 is a time for reflection and remembrance, and
also a time to enhance our defenses. We cannot allow weak data
infrastructure to leave the homeland vulnerable to attacks, and I thank
my good friend and colleague from Texas, Mr. Hurd, for introducing this
commonsense legislation, and I urge my House colleagues to support this
bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, this is an important bill that has strong
support on both sides of the aisle. It maintains effective security
measures while consolidating systems, creating a more feasible way for
the men and women at the DHS to access the data that they need to
fulfill their critical mission.
I thank Mr. Hurd for his diligence on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2454, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York (Miss
Rice), for her work on these initiatives. And I thank Chairman McCaul
and the ranking member for the bipartisan way in which we focus on
these important issues of homeland security.
Mr. Speaker, again, I want to urge my colleagues to support H.R.
2454, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2454--
Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2017, which is
the first authorization bill for the Department of Homeland Security
since its creation.
I thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for working
diligently to bring this suspension bill before the House of
Representatives.
H.R. 2454 directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to:
develop a data framework to integrate existing DHS datasets and
systems for access by authorized personnel in a manner consistent with
relevant legal authorities and privacy, civil rights, and civil
liberties policies and protections;
ensure that all information of a DHS office or component that falls
within the scope of the information sharing environment, and any
information or intelligence relevant to priority mission needs and
capability requirements of the homeland security enterprise, is
included; and
ensure that the framework is accessible to DHS employees who have an
appropriate security clearance, who are assigned to perform a function
that requires access, and who are trained in applicable standards for
safeguarding and using such information.
The bill excludes information that could:
jeopardize the protection of sources, methods, or activities;
compromise a criminal or national security investigation;
be inconsistent with the other federal laws or regulations; or
be duplicative or not serve an operational purpose.
DHS shall incorporate into such framework systems capabilities for
auditing and ensuring the security of information.
Few can image how complex the federal government response to a
Hurricane can be.
For example the need for information sharing is crucial to effect
disaster response prior to, during and after Hurricanes Harvey and
Irma.
U.S. cooperation with the European Commission, facilitated by the
Department of State, allowed for rapid activation of the Copernicus
Emergency Management Service (EMS) over the Texas and Louisiana coasts
affected by Category-4 Hurricane Harvey, the largest recorded
rainstorms ever to hit the contiguous United States.
This service has provided local, state, and federal disaster managers
with free, real-time, all-weather radar satellite images of the
affected areas; we are grateful to our European partners, including the
European Space Agency and the European Organization for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, for their assistance during
this challenging time.
Since August 25, Europe's Copernicus EMS, at no cost to the United
States, has generated up-to-date, satellite-based maps of the flood
extent.
In combination with U.S. satellite data, these maps are critical
tools for relief operations by U.S. federal, state, and local disaster
responders.
First responders were in critical need of accurate information on
persons who were trapped by Hurricane Harvey flood waters.
The statistics are staggering.
21 trillion gallons of rainfall fell in Texas and Louisiana in the
first five days of the storm.
The estimated maximum sustained winds exceeded 130 miles per hour as
the hurricane made landfall near Rockport, Texas on August 25.
A record 4,323 days, which is nearly 12 years, elapsed since a major
hurricane (Category 3 or above) made landfall in the United States
prior to Hurricane Harvey; the last Category 3 hurricane to hit the
United States was Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the same year Hurricane
Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans.
The city of Cedar Bayou received 51.88 inches of rainfall, breaking
the record for rainfall from a single storm in the continental United
States; my city of Houston received more than 50 inches of rainfall.
More than 13,000 people have been rescued in the Houston area and
more than 30,000 persons are expected to be forced out of their homes
due to the storm.
More than 8,800 federal personnel were staff deployed to help respond
to Hurricane Harvey, supplying approximately 2.9 million meals, 2.8
million liters of water, 37,000 tarps, and 130 generators.
In the first three days of the storm, more than 49,000 homes had
suffered flood damage and more than 1,000 homes were completely
destroyed in the storm.
And today, two weeks later, thousands of Texans are still without
permanent and stable housing situations.
[[Page H7245]]
That is why the additional $7.4 billion in CDBG funding provided in
the legislation is desperately needed.
Mr. Speaker, valiant emergency responders in my state worked to
exhaustion, with an invaluable assist from citizen volunteers, to
rescue their neighbors and save lives.
That is who Texans are and this is what we do.
We do not yet know the full cost in human lives exacted by Hurricane
Harvey.
But what we do know is that the costs of recovery and reconstruction
will far exceed any natural disaster in memory; best estimates place
the cost in the range of $150-$200 billion.
Mr. Speaker, there is much more work to be done in my city of
Houston, and across the areas affected by the terrible, awesome storm
that will be forever known simply as Hurricane Harvey.
This same resource was put into use for Hurricane Irma to support
response to that major storm.
This sharing of important satellite data is provided by the United
States-European Commission Cooperation Arrangement on Earth Observation
Data Related to the Copernicus Program.
The Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs negotiated the data sharing
agreement, which has been in effect since October 2015.
The arrangement reflects a shared U.S.-E.U. vision to pursue full,
free, and open data policies for government Earth observation
satellites, fostering greater scientific discovery and encouraging
innovation in applications and value-added services for the benefit of
society at large.
I offer the thanks and appreciation for our nation--its people--
especially the residents along the Gulf Coast including the residents
of the 18th Congressional District in Houston and the surrounding
communities for the support from our Allies in our nation's time of
need.
The Suspension before the House will facilitate data sharing among
law enforcement agencies in support the mission of the Department of
Homeland Security to develop and maintain a unity of effort approach to
security our nation from terrorist threats.
I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2454.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rogers of Kentucky). The question is on
the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2454, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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